Education as a Road to Women’s Empowerment? The Case of Malawi
利用马拉维1994年普及小学教育改革，发现多上一年学使女性首次同居推迟0.38年、现代避孕使用提高9.3个百分点、家暴威胁降低5.4个百分点、家庭决策权提升5.3个百分点，对政策制定者评估教育投资有价值。
This article investigates the causal impact of educational attainment on women’s empowerment in Malawi. The study utilizes nationally representative data from the Malawi Demographic and Health Survey for 2004, 2010, and 2015–16 to examine the impact of the 1994 universal primary education policy on women’s empowerment. The findings reveal that, on average, women affected by the reform have 0.56 more years of education than those unaffected. Findings also show that an additional year of schooling delays women’s age at first cohabitation by 0.38 years, increases their use of modern contraceptives by 9.3 percentage points, reduces threats of domestic violence by 5.4 percentage points, and enhances their household decision making by 5.3 percentage points. This study also provides insights into the mechanisms behind this relationship, including women’s literacy and knowledge of health, engagement in the labor market, increased exposure to health information, and the characteristics of their husbands or partners.HIGHLIGHTSMalawi’s universal primary education reform generated significant gains in women’s schooling.Each additional year of schooling improved multiple empowerment outcomes for women.Education delayed cohabitation and increased contraceptive use.Schooling reduced domestic violence and strengthened household bargaining.Investments in girls’ education promote gender equality and the development of just societies.